Survivor
by Ilovetoread09
Summary: An unfortunate announcement from Paige has the team looking at life from a different perspective. Set before Mother Load.


AN: So, I've never really read anything from this archive before, so I'm not sure if this has been done and if I'm doing the characters justice. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Scorpion.

* * *

Paige sighs, shifting from one foot to the other as she prepares to enter the warehouse that houses Scorpion. Ralph's at school, giving her the perfect opportunity to do what she needs to do. Not that it makes anymore pleasant, for her or the team she's grown to consider family the past three years.

Taking a deep breath, she plasters on a smile as she opens the door. She steps in, noting that everyone is in their usual places, and there's no sign of Walter, meaning he's upstairs in his office. Tim is also absent, so he's probably at Naval Headquarters. While she and him have grown close and have been more or less dating, the news she had to share was better done separately from the team, the people she was closer to.

"What's up, Paige? " Toby greets, looking up the rubix cube he completed.

"Hey, Toby," she replies. "Is Walter around?"

On cue, the sound of footsteps descending the stairs reaches her ears.

"I'm right here," Walter announces.

Toby cocks his head, eyes examining her face carefully.

"By the nervous expression on your face, you have something to tell us." He raises an eyebrow playfully. "Let me guess…you're pregnant!" She frowns. Oh, she so wishes that was it.

Happy, who has walked over to her partner's desk by this point, slaps him upside the head.

"Why don't you let her tell us, instead, genius?"

"What's going on?" Sylvester asks nervously, distracted from an equation he'd been solving.

"Guys," Paige starts firmly, attempting to get some order in the room. "I have some news, and it's not…good."

Walter shoots her a confused look. "Are you and Ralph, okay?"

"No, well, yes. It kind of depends."

"I don't like the sound of that," Toby comments.

"Okay, okay, people. Please let me finish." After ensuring everyone is quiet, she takes a deep breath, beginning, "As I'm sure you guys have noticed, I've been a little later these past couple of weeks on some days. Well, it's because I've been to doctor's appointments. A few months ago, I noticed a lump on my back. I didn't think much of it until it changed size during the past few months."

The look on the team members' faces changes to worry as the liaison continues her tale.

"So, I went to the doctor and had it biopsied. The doctor just had the result returned to him this morning, which is why I was late."  
"And?" Walter chimes, his tone pensive.

Paige purses her lips, sighing. "He said it's non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and that I need surgery to have the tumor removed. Also, I'll most likely need chemo and maybe radiation, depending on how the doctor wants to pursue this. He said they caught it in time and that my chances of remission are high, so there's the good part."

As her story ends, she's met with silence from her fellow team members. At that moment, Cabe chooses to walk through the door.

"Hey guys," he greets. Picking up on the atmosphere, he frowns. "Why does everyone look like someone died?"

"Um, excuse me, I need to go finish my experiment," Walter mutters before racing up the stairway.

"Walter," Paige calls, exasperated. She had known he wouldn't take it well, so she wasn't surprised by his reaction.

"I got him," Toby announces, following after the team leader.

"What's going on?" Cabe questions, concern etched on his face. Paige repeats her story, and he shakes his head. "Well, I'll be damned. Just let us know if you anything."

"Thanks, Cabe." She gives him a smile.

"Does Ralph know?" Happy questions.

Paige shakes her head. "Not yet. I figured it would be better to tell you guys first. I plan on sitting down with him tonight and explaining what's going on and what could happen. I need to do the same with Tim."

"I'll join you if you want for Ralph," the engineer replies. "I know a thing or two about kids receiving bad news."

Paige nods gratefully, turning to Sylvester, who has remained silent.

"Sylvester?"

"Oh um, I can give you all whole bunch of my hand sanitizers. You're going to need to stay clear of germs as much as possible. Oh, and I have some great ways of avoiding infections and bacteria…" he rambles.

"Sly," she interrupts, smiling. He gazes at her in confusion. "Thanks. But, your support is enough."

He nods, giving her a tentative grin.

"Should I go to Walter?"

Happy shakes her head. "Nah, let Toby handle it. Seeing you will only cause 197 to repress things even more."

Paige shakes her head in dismay, knowing the mechanic is right. She hopes the psychiatrist can get through to Walter.

Because with what's about to happen, she's going to need all the help she can get.

* * *

Toby reaches the top of the stair causing, frowning as he sees Walter attempting to appear.

"Hey Walt," he says cautiously.

"I'm busy right now, Toby," the team leader grunts, looking through a microscope.

"Walter," the psychiatrist states, louder this time. He's so not letting his best friend behave like this.

Walter pops his head up, glaring. "What?"

"You're not dealing with the situation in a healthy manner."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Walter responds, his tone petulant.

"You can't be acting like this. Paige is going to need our help."

"And we will most certainly give her all the support she needs," Walter replies curtly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get back to my research."

Rolling his eyes, Toby approaches the desk, placing his hands on it.

"It's not good for you to repress your feelings. The health of the caregiver is also at risk as much as the patient's."

"I know, Toby, I've read the research too," Walter remarks, still not looking up from the sample.

The psychiatrist groans, asking whatever higher power there is for Walter to forgive him for the next words out of his mouth.

"Paige isn't the same thing as her, Walt," he says gently.

The leader snaps his head up, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"She isn't Meghan," Toby states. "You can't just bury yourself in research and visit her whenever. She's going to need active help, particularly as she goes through treatment and gets weaker with chemotherapy. You need to be there for her as she tries to recover. Also, she won't be able to take care of Ralph at some point on the days when she gets exhausted from treatment."

He finally sees the resolve in his friend's expression crack, his Adam's apple bobbing.

"I just don't want to lose her, too."

Toby nods in understanding. Losing Meghan had destroyed the genius of 197 IQ, but losing Paige would probably kill any slice of EQ Walter had left.

"And you won't. You heard what Paige said. The cancer was caught in enough time that she'll most likely go into remission."

"You know that it can get worse," Walter counters.

"Yes, I'm aware," Toby says. "But, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but have a little faith, Walt."

Walter closes his eyes, rubbing two fingers against his temple.

"Alright, alright."

"Good," the psychiatrist chirps. "Now, we can start helping Paige by asking her which one of us she wants to go with her to the surgery."

Walter nods, and the two descend the stairs together, ready to face the long road ahead.

* * *

AN: I should probably note that this isn't my first rodeo and I'm writing for another fandom so if anons are looking to scare me off, good luck with that. Any abusive reviews will be deleted, so don't bother.


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